St Mary's Hospital Medical School
Encyclopedia
St Mary's is the youngest of the constituent schools of Imperial College, London, founded in 1854 as part of the new hospital in Paddington
. During its existence in the 1980s and 90s, it was the most popular medical school in the country, with an application to place ratio of 27:1 in 1996.
St Mary's continued comparatively unmoved by the other nomadic medical schools in the area, until its merger with Imperial College in 1988, and the foundation of Imperial College School of Medicine
in 1997 by the merger with Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School.
, a biographical documentary series first broadcast on BBC Two
by BBC Television
, followed 10 medical students who enrolled at St Mary's Hospital Medical School in the 1985 intake. It started with admission interviews in November 1984, then followed their lives as medical students for five or six years, and ended with their first experiences of working as busy junior hospital doctors in the National Health Service
. A sequel Doctors to Be: 20 Years On
was first broadcast on BBC Four
in 2007 and provided an update on the careers and lives of the same people after they had qualified.
. The sporting traditions of Mary's are reflected with its alumni, such as the Welsh rugby captain JPR Williams (commemorated in the annual ICSM vs. Imperial Varsity Rugby match, the JPR Williams Cup); and Roger Bannister
(commemorated in the annual ICSM vs. Imperial Varsity athletics meet), the first man to run a mile in under four minutes.
St Mary's Hospital has an equally rich history in the arts. The dramatic society staged performances of operettas at Wilson House, London
, which on occasion were graced with a royal visit. This royal association continued until recent times with the Queen Mother being the patron of the soirée – the post opera comedy night – until her death in 2002 (the post has remained unfilled following its failure to be won in the post-soirée raffle of the same year).
The student clubs of the hospital had many United Hospitals
victories.
Paddington
Paddington is a district within the City of Westminster, in central London, England. Formerly a metropolitan borough, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965...
. During its existence in the 1980s and 90s, it was the most popular medical school in the country, with an application to place ratio of 27:1 in 1996.
St Mary's continued comparatively unmoved by the other nomadic medical schools in the area, until its merger with Imperial College in 1988, and the foundation of Imperial College School of Medicine
Imperial College School of Medicine
The Imperial College School of Medicine is the medical school of Imperial College London in England, and one of the United Hospitals....
in 1997 by the merger with Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School.
Doctors to Be
Doctors to BeDoctors to Be
Doctors to Be is a biographical documentary series that was first broadcast on BBC Two by BBC Television and is also the name of a BBC book that accompanied the series. The television series follows 10 medical students who enrolled at St Mary's Hospital Medical School in the 1985 intake of students...
, a biographical documentary series first broadcast on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
by BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
, followed 10 medical students who enrolled at St Mary's Hospital Medical School in the 1985 intake. It started with admission interviews in November 1984, then followed their lives as medical students for five or six years, and ended with their first experiences of working as busy junior hospital doctors in the National Health Service
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
. A sequel Doctors to Be: 20 Years On
Doctors to Be: 20 Years On
Doctors to Be: 20 Years On is a biographical documentary series first broadcast on BBC Four by the BBC in 2007. It is a sequel to the series about ten medical students Doctors to Be, and gives an update on the careers and lives of the same people after they had qualified....
was first broadcast on BBC Four
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
in 2007 and provided an update on the careers and lives of the same people after they had qualified.
Student life
St Mary's Hospital, London was traditionally regarded as the refuge of sons of Welsh farmers and miners arriving by train from nearby Paddington station. St Mary's Hospital Medical School thus developed a reputation for sporting prowess, with the rugby club actually predating the Rugby Football UnionRugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
. The sporting traditions of Mary's are reflected with its alumni, such as the Welsh rugby captain JPR Williams (commemorated in the annual ICSM vs. Imperial Varsity Rugby match, the JPR Williams Cup); and Roger Bannister
Roger Bannister
Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister, CBE is an English former athlete best known for running the first recorded mile in less than 4 minutes...
(commemorated in the annual ICSM vs. Imperial Varsity athletics meet), the first man to run a mile in under four minutes.
St Mary's Hospital has an equally rich history in the arts. The dramatic society staged performances of operettas at Wilson House, London
Wilson House, London
Wilson House is an Imperial College Halls of Residence. It is located at 38-76 Sussex Gardens, near to Edgware Road and Paddington tube stations...
, which on occasion were graced with a royal visit. This royal association continued until recent times with the Queen Mother being the patron of the soirée – the post opera comedy night – until her death in 2002 (the post has remained unfilled following its failure to be won in the post-soirée raffle of the same year).
The student clubs of the hospital had many United Hospitals
United Hospitals
United Hospitals is the historical collective name of the medical schools of London. They are all part of the University of London with the exception of Imperial College School of Medicine which left in 2007. The original United Hospitals referred to Guy's Hospital and St Thomas's Hospital and...
victories.
Alumni
Graduates of St Mary's Hospital Medical School can join the St Mary's Association.Notable alumni
- Sir Alexander FlemingAlexander FlemingSir Alexander Fleming was a Scottish biologist and pharmacologist. He wrote many articles on bacteriology, immunology, and chemotherapy...
(Nobel Laureate, Physiology and Medicine) – known for his discovery of penicillin at the hospital in 1928. The room in which the discovery took place is currently a museum at the hospital, open to the public. - Dr Andrew WakefieldAndrew WakefieldAndrew Wakefield is a British former surgeon and medical researcher, known as an advocate for the discredited claim that there is a link between the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, autism and bowel disease, and for his fraudulent 1998 research paper in support of that claim.Four years after...
– instigator of the MMR vaccine controversyMMR vaccine controversyThe MMR vaccine controversy was a case of scientific misconduct which triggered a health scare. It followed the publication in 1998 of a paper in the medical journal The Lancet which presented apparent evidence that autism spectrum disorders could be caused by the MMR vaccine, an immunization... - Roger BannisterRoger BannisterSir Roger Gilbert Bannister, CBE is an English former athlete best known for running the first recorded mile in less than 4 minutes...
– First man to run a four-minute mile, professor of neurology - Tuppy Owen-SmithTuppy Owen-SmithHarold Geoffrey Owen Owen-Smith was a South African cricketer and English rugby player. He played cricket in 5 Tests in 1929 and was capped 10 times by England from 1934 to 1937. He was captain throughout the 1937 Home Nations championship, thus he captained England three times...
– International rugby player and cricketer - JPR Williams – International rugby player